home screens

Xiaomi has its own distinct style that can be a big adjustment for anyone used to a different version of Android. The company has moved closer to the Android mainstream as its international business has grown, launching phones like the Poco F1. That device sported a new launcher, and it looks like Xiaomi has decided to make it into a full-fledged app on the Play Store. The new Mint Launcher listing is up, but it won't install on any phones yet. Don't worry—we've got an APK for you.

There was a time when the Google app was just a search box for your home screen (the package name is actually "googlequicksearchbox"). Now, it's an integral part of your phone that can add new and wonderful features via an update. Unfortunately, it can also introduce new and infuriating bugs. Case in point, a recent Google app update is causing launchers to ping your location every time you go home. Which launchers? It looks like all of them.

In a post to its official blog today, the team behind Chameleon Launcher announced version 2.0, which simultaneously hit the Play Store. The update, which is – for now – only available to Kickstarter backers and pre-order customers, brings a handful of popularly requested features. Perhaps the biggest of these is optimization for the small screen. Yes, Chameleon is now specifically optimized to work on your smartphone as well as it does on your tablet.

As part of the optimization (which supports screen resolutions of 720x1280 and up), Chameleon has gained the ability to hold multiple home screens in each context.